Saturday’s three-on-three (3X3) Hoop City EFCL Festival brought 30 teams of kids and teens to the downtown core for a no-cost, low-stakes way to stay active – and organizers hope to bring it across the city. Paul Sir, CEO of the 3X3 Basketball Association, says the partnership with the Edmonton Federation for Community Leagues (EFCL) marks the first time the sport was offered in Ice District for free. “To be able to service the communities and provide more opportunities for kids to pay to play various sports at low to no cost … It’s a great opportunity for people to come hang out on a beautiful day,” he said. The sport is a fast-paced game running 10 minutes with a 12-second shot clock. The day was not a high-level tournament like Edmonton has seen in the past – winning teams get t-shirts – but EFCL executive director Laura Cunningham-Shpeley says the goal is to “kickstart something cool.” “We’re really thinking about working with Hoop City and 3X3 basketball to bring that across the city to community leagues,” she said. “It’s a really accessible sport. It’s fun. It’s fast. Kids and teens can pop by their community league … pick it up and play.” Edmonton has previously hosted the official Hoop City 3X3 Festival five times, featuring top basketball athletes from around the world at West Edmonton Mall. With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Galen McDougall
